As a stepmom, you may have heard the phrase “You’re not my mom!” Upset kids can really hit you where it hurts the most! Unfortunately, as much as this phrase may hurt, there is a grain of truth to it. Not in the sense that you genuinely are second-rate, but that there is an underlying—if very misguided—prejudice in our society that you are less than a “real” mom and thus, not always allowed the ... Read the Post

I can't even begin to count the number of times I've heard stepmoms tell me, "My husband won't stand up to his ex wife!" It's a very common stressor with stepmoms around the world. Stepmomming is never an easy task—especially when co-parenting with the ex! All too often, we get dragged into family problems feet-first—or even sidelined, dismissed when giving feedback or advice, bad-mouthed, or ... Read the Post

Mother's Day for stepmoms can cause many uncomfortable feelings to surface, and it's often a time when a stepmom's unique role as a conditional parent is most apparent. Stepmoms deserve appreciation and acknowledgment for the mothering they do, and Mother's Day is often a time when stepmoms will see mothers being celebrated while they're left without the kids, without acknowledgment, and ... Read the Post

If you think being a mom is a thankless job, try being a stepmom on Mother's Day. Have you seen the meme? I cringe every single time. I don't like the animosity it represents from stepmoms toward moms, but I do think it pretty clearly portrays the pain, jealousy, and disappointment the stepmom is feeling. What I Want to Say to the Stepmom on Mother's Day To the stepmom on Mother's ... Read the Post